Living

Am I the only one who struggles with saying, “No,” when asked to do something? I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve put myself in situations that...

“Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, the other is gold.A circle is round, it has no end. That's how long, I will be your friend.” Some...

I recently switched rheumatologists – not because of my doctor, but because of his staff getting in the way of my care and my son's care. When I called the...

One of the many things I was not prepared to deal with after being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis was the resentment I would eventually have towards my friends and family...

The holidays are upon us! It’s that time of year when we gather and celebrate with friends and family. It involves more outings than we may be used to as...

The first time my jaw flared up, I was fifteen years old and on a family vacation to Walt Disney World. I already wasn’t feeling great to begin with due...

Giving can seem like a one way street. We let go of something that belongs to us - often my money or clothing or food - so that someone in...

People don’t really understand all of the possible implications of what it means to have psoriatic arthritis. Painful joints? Yes. Swollen digits? Yes. Fatigue? Absolutely. But there are so many...

Sleep doesn’t always come easy for those of us with PsA. We suffer from insomnia, painsomnia, and sometimes our bodies would rather sleep during the day rather than at night...

From the onset of first symptoms, the time it takes to diagnose psoriatic arthritis is too long for many people; years or decades, sometimes. There is little doubt that more...

Nurses and office managers often hold the key to opening the door to your doctor. Having a good relationship with the office staff can lead to better access to your...

You’ve spoken with your doctor, read through all of the information, and decided to give one of the infusion medications a try. Now what? Like me, you may still have...

It is no secret, life can be messy. Throw in a chronic illness like psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, fibromyalgia, and endometriosis, and it gets even messier. Some people think that my...

Before psoriatic arthritis (PsA), I didn’t make excuses when someone invited me out or asked me to do something. Unless I was previously engaged, I never said no. In fact...

Psoriasis causes red, scaly patches on the skin that can be located on all areas of the body and can be painful and itchy, as well as seem unattractive. Psoriatic arthritis causes...

I sat down with my hubby for a candid conversation about any advice he might have for others who are the support system for a loved one with psoriatic arthritis...

Pain brain, also known as brain or fibro fog, is when our physical pain is so bad that it interferes with how our brain functions. When I first heard these...

Living with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) hurts, but at times what hurts the most are the comments filled with stigma and misconceptions from those around us. Words from some who mean...

If you ask my family who should be giving advice on how to ask for help, I’m sure the last person they would think of is me. Everyone who knows...

My friends and family think that the pain from psoriatic arthritis and fibromyalgia is the most difficult aspect of my life. For the first few years I also thought that...